My Worth
by Elijah Blackwood
Summary: It was true. I am always alone. I sing my song again, leaping gracefully from roof to roof as I do. I look up at the moon, the waning of Him angering me, as if that is the Man's knowing smirk. He knows my purpose, I have to find my own. And, maybe- just maybe- I can, through my memories... and Jamie. ((A Jack Frost x Jamie fic: JACKIE!
1. Jamie Bennett

I watch a few teenagers running around with red noses, flushed faces, and blue lips as they throw snowballs at each other. I sit on the edge of the roof I'm currently on, watching them. I recognize them. The two brothers, the kid with glasses, "Cupcake", and a few others. I realize one of them is missing, Jamie.

I whisper his name, and I hear his voice echo through my head, "Jack? Is that you, Jack?" I smile, "Yeah, where ya at kiddo? Your friends are out there, havin' fun without 'cha." I hear a response, his voice bitter in my mind, "They _are not_ my friends... Jack? Would you meet me somewhere?" I nod, then realize he can't see me, _duh_, "Sure, how about... uhm, the statue. You know, the one where I bludgeoned you with the sofa."

I hear him laugh, no longer a light sound. I realize his voice has changed. It's deeper, but only a little. "Yeah, be there in ten minutes, Jack." I fly over and sit on the statue, waiting for him. Somehow, only now, do I realize the weird circumstances of our conversation. Like a mental connection or something, but I've never had one before, so the idea of it was near impossible. I'd have to ask North later.

"Hey, long time no see, eh Jack?" I look across from where I'm sitting on the statue and there he is. "Yeah, you're older, Jamie boy." He laughs, "I'm eighteen, not eight." I nod, "It is as you say." I take a good look at him, his hair has grown out and his features are sharper, his smile is softer, and his eyes a bit darker against his flushed cheeks.

I float down beside him and he frowns, "You're still taller than me." I laugh, ruffling his hair and walk with him. He's about 5'6, around four inches shorter than me. "And you're still shorter than me." We walk in silence for a while as we stay on the sidewalk, few cars passing by in the darkness of the night. "Where have you been?" he asks softly, looking straight ahead. "Around." I say wistfully, looking around as I float, not wanting to leave frost _all_over the place.

He looks up at me with a slight glare, "I know that. I mean where were you?" I look at him confusedly, "What do you mean?" He takes a deep breath and stops, staring up at me. "Oh, I don't know! Where were you when I called for you?! Where were you when I needed my only friend! Where were you when my parents split! Where were you when the only person in the world I needed was gone. YOU!"

His eyes tear up and when the first tear falls, he runs. Far away from me. The realization sinks in. I promised I'd be there before I left those years ago. If he believed in me, I'd be there. None of the other guardians promised, they knew they couldn't keep it, but I did. And he had faith in me, **knowing **I'd be there if he needed me. And I wasn't.

I control the winds, propelling myself as fast as I can to the direction Jamie went. But he wasn't there. Defeated, I went to North's workshop. I needed someone who I could talk to. And North, being the father of Winter so kinda my adoptive father, was the best person I could talk to.


	2. Floating Carousels

Upon reaching the Pole, I go into the top level, walking to the door of North's shop. Remembering what one of the Yetis told me once, I knocked loud enough for him to hear me. "Come in!" I heard from the other side of the door, opening it- I became breathless. "Wow..." I drug out, looking around at the small carousel animals floating around the room to a tune played by North on the organ. I smile at him, "Great work." He laughs haughtily, ceasing his playing to face me, "I know." All of the animals slow to a stop, hovering slightly in the air. I touch a horse and give it an immaculate swirling design from it's muzzle, stretching to his hooves. "You're a natural," he laughs sitting at his desk. "It's my job to be." I respond.

A silence ensues and his eyes narrow in concern, causing tiny laugh lines to disappear and become replaced by deep worry lines on his forehead. "Jack, there's something you're not telling me." he leans forward slightly, his eyes darting across my features in hopes of seeing something. I'm not ready to tell him just yet. "What makes you think I can't just drop by to say hello occasionally?" He laughs briefly, eyeing me with a suspicious arch of his eyebrow, "Jackson Overland Frost," I visibly cringe, _Oh shit_. "We both know you aren't the type to drop by unless 1. something is in it for you, 2. you need someone to talk to, or 3. you want to steal some of my cookies and milk."

"Holy crap, Clause! One time! ONE TIME, I took your milk and cookies, no need to get your Russian panties in a twist!" He looks sincerely offended, then starts guffawing, "This, this is why I like you, Jack- you're hilarious. Now, really, tell me why you've graced me with your ever-freezing presence." I take a deep breath, "It's gonna take a while." He smiles, leaning back in his chair, "Good, well you have ten days until Christmas, that's your deadline." I laugh, crossing my legs as I sit on the floor, "Okay, maybe not THAT long."

I tell him, first, about my mental connection with Jamie and how it appeared out of nowhere. I left out the part where he ran away from me, but I did reiterate what he told me about not being there. I thought it'd be better if I left out the part about not-being-whole and needing-to-find-myself thing, he'd make fun of me and call me an angsty teenager._ Hell, I'd do the same thing. Dying at age eighteen, and being stuck in that year... I guess it's like being stuck in that mental capacity._ North stayed quiet for a while, thinking it over. "Well, there's a few things it can't be-" "And?" "Even fewer things it could be."

I mentally slap myself, _nope, I did it literally- **ow!**_ "What are the possibilities?" I ask as he shoots an 'are you insane?' look my way, "I'd have to look in the 'Collected Lore of the Guardians' and cross reference a lot of stuff to see what it is, Jack." I frown, "Will you get back to me on it?" He nods, giving me a weak smile, "As soon as I can." I nod, taking my leave quietly as I use my staff to push myself onto my feet. I fly out and leave through the open ceiling, making my way back to the park.

I look around and the sun has risen, I frown, my way of travel takes a few days while the other Guardians have some quick mode of transport. I look around at the park and sit in a tree, it's been only a while since I last went to his house. Maybe when he would be around thirteen or fourteen. In fact, I used to go all the time, but he was never home. So I stopped going, I thought he stopped believing. _He never did, I know that now._

I wait until the sun has set before going to his house. He lays in bed, holding his younger sister to his chest as she cries, "Daddy wants to take me away, doesn't he?" Jamie nods, "He does, but he won't have you- I'll take care of you. I'll graduate soon, and when I do, I'm moving out and taking you with me." I feel an ache in my chest and place my palm against the window. A silent frost engulfs where my hand was, and I watch with an empty feeling in my gut. "I'm sorry." I write in the frost backwards, hoping he'll see it. "JF" I put under it. I'll never be able to make up for not being there for him, but at least he will know I care. I leave the window and sit by the pond that the park is built around, a small dusting of snow surrounding me.

I sit there until it's dark out and I feel a defeated pitch black engulfing me, this is Fear. "You saw, didn't you?" I hear from behind me. "Jamie..." I turn around and his eyes are piercing and fierce, but a look of hope flits in his eyes. "Is there any way you could forgive me?" I ask solemnly as he sits beside me. "Maybe. After we talk. I ran off like a coward, without hearing you out. I was bitter, I still am, but I want to know why you left. That's all." I pull my knees to my chin, feeling safe the tighter I wound myself together. As if a noose of my heartstrings hung me above the boiling cauldron. A double-edged knife, damning me whether I did or didn't. I could almost feel Pitch's dark embrace. "Fear. Fear kept me away. Fear you didn't believe in me." He laughs softly, as if it's difficult for him to breathe, "I waited for you, every night for a year. I'd wait at the statue for hours for you and you never came."

I breathed out, shackles of fear slowly falling away, " I waited at your window occasionally for the course of about four or five years." We look forlornly at each other, at the big misunderstanding. "I forgive you." he smiles. I smile and hug him tightly, he's unbelievably warm, a sensation I had not felt in a long time. He never complained about me giving him a chill.

We opened up to each other and caught up on things missed over the years. He didn't mention much of family, but I didn't mind. I didn't really have one I could talk about, the Guardians aren't exactly **close**. We were talking again, and he's one of the few people I can relate to. We break the conversation and I hear a rolling sound in my pocket. "What's that?" he asked, reaching in my pocket. "Wait, that's-!" but it was too late. My memories had already dragged us in.


	3. Haunting Memories

MAJOR MOVIE SPOILERS AHEAD(with expanded scenes of my imagination)!

* * *

My memories sucked us in and, like a vacuum, neither of us could breathe as we watched. We were standing from the sidelines, watching from a distance. Yet, I could feel the wind blow through my hair as I and friends of my sister and I ran around, searching with glee for Easter eggs. I felt everything from the distance, emotions and all.

I smiled brightly at my sister, my basket full of eggs. A frown etched on her face as her basket held a single egg, the other village children having beaten her to the stashes. I bit my lip in thought then smiled upon getting an idea, a wonderfully brilliant idea. I ran back to our house and etched on a piece of paper, folding it into my basket and hiding it in her room. Later that night, upon her excitement, read the note out to me:

_"Dear Jillian Terrabetha Frost, _

_I made a special delivery for you, _

_the Easter Bunny."_

I kept my baby sister's hope alive.  
The memory disappeared and another one took its place.

I was hanging upside down from a tree by my knees, three younger village girls giggling up at me- Jill's friends. "Jack, get down from there, Mom will skin you!" I hear my little sister yell up to me, a small smile on her face. I let myself fall from the tree and land on my feet, I feel a jarring pain but smile at her and continue walking, trying not to limp. I knew I had sprained my ankle, but I wouldn't want to have to make poor Jill do my chores for me. She should have fun and not have to worry about taking care of her big brother.  
The memory seemed to burn away like a charring photograph, actual flames licking my back with heat.

We were playing Shadow Figures, nowadays called Charades, and I was trying to imitate the leader of a neighboring village- Berkellanesh. I stomped in an exaggerated fashion, like he did, and stuck antlers to my head, simulating his helmet he always wore for good luck. Though, my friends would say, _no one can be very lucky with a name like Berkellanesh Simmerfall Elderwood_. They laughed as I stomped, my feet shoulder width apart. "You're so funny, Jack." Margery, Jill's friend, said between laughs. Soon, another memory came.

I'm taking my sister out to the lake, to teach her how to ice skate. Father died soon after teaching me, from the plague, so now it was my turn to teach Jill. "Be careful!" Mom yelled after me, "We will!" I responded, walking to the lake with her. We walked in silence, until she whispered something I could barely make out. "It'll be fine," I mutter, not hearing her, walking to the lake. I jump onto the lake and skate around, finding my lithe and agile body able to do tricks. Time skips ahead.

I just yelled to her to join me and she wobbles across, finally meeting me at the center. I hear small cracking noises, and I see the ice under me begin to cave in. She looked at me in fear, the ice now cracking under her. I did what I could to save her, and when she slid across the ice, onto safe ground I heard the whisper echo around me. The whisper I did not recognize before. "Jack, if something happens will you promise to save yourself?" Looking back, my sister gave me a quality I never had before. A sacrificial love for others.

I escape the memories, looking around nervously, then sigh upon realizing no one is around. I look over at Jamie as he cries silently, eyes unblinking and wide open. I try to shake him awake and a few minutes later, he comes to.

He shivers, "Jack. Now I know... Why you were so happy I saw you. When Manny spoke to you... I know now." I looked at him incredulously, "How much did you see?" And how did he know the true name of the Man in the Moon, The God of the Guardians, per say?

"The memories in that tube, and every memory of your rise to being a guardian." The tears in his eyes fade away, "Jill was lucky to have you as a big brother." I feel tears begin to flow freely from my eyes. _Jillian. How could I forget about her?_

Jamie and I stared at each other in silence, unable to say anything. "Jack? Why did I see all your memories? What did I grab?" I sigh, "My baby teeth from when I was human, but the real question is, why did you see the rest of my memories? Not even Tooth was able to see my memories beyond my human childhood." We sit in silence and I rise, "I'll walk you home."

Taking him back, I remember something I told him when I left him that day, "We may not be around but we'll always be in here," I said with a small smile, pointing with my index finger, touching the spot above his heart. "So, that kinda makes you a Guardian too."

I look back on these words. At the time, I just said it because it felt like the right thing to say, but now, it just felt foreboding. Why would I say that to a young child? Or, worse, why would I reveal that to a child?

When we get to his house, I fly him into his window and as he steps inside, taking off his sneakers and I notice something on the back of his neck. "Is that a tattoo?" I ask, and he turns red slightly, laughing. "Of course not, Jack." he mumbles, getting in bed. Suspicious? I think so.

_.  
_

_.  
_

_.  
_

_.  
_

* * *

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!:_**

**_Yes, it's official. I have seen Rise of the Guardians twice. _**

**_TWICE!_**

**_ALREADY! :D_**

**_First time in 2-D, second time in 3-D._**

**_Wonderful._**

**_GOD, I WANNA GO SEE IT AGAIN! D:_**

**_Lol, love you all!  
_**

**_R & R and send your love ;D  
_**


	4. The Crowning

"Let me see~" I said with a smirk, floating inside. "No way in Hell." he said with a small laugh. "There is no Hell, nor is there a Heaven, only-" He cut me off, smiling, "The Sky, where each human soul eventually becomes a part of something greater, the universe itself. I know." I laughed, sitting on the side of his bed, "Yeesh, no need to bite my head off." He rolled his eyes and turned his back to me. As soon as I knew he was asleep, I looked at the tattoo closely.

A realistic, but jagged, heart sculpted of ice, was in the middle of engulfing flames. Some parts of the heart melted away to show fleshy, crimson spots under it. I brushed my fingertip over it and goosebumps immediately rose on his neck. Crap. He shivered slightly in his sleep, seeing I was a disturbance, I took this chance to leave. "Goodnight, Jamie." The wind carried me away slowly as I stared up at the Moon, or as North had referred to Him once (and now Jamie as well), Manny. As I stared into the craters, a thought occurred to me. There was no possible way that Jamie could've known my other memories, like the day I awoke as a Guardian and learned of The Man in the Moon, or the days after I left him. The memories in my teeth only connected to those when I was alive, not the memories from my Immortal life.

The moon did not move, did not shine differently, but as I stared up at it- something changed. I slowed my thoughts, I felt like Manny was trying to tell me something. You're on a roll, kid. Keep going. Inside, I sensed Him wink, Don't stop there. Add two and two together. I did so. I thought through every possibility. Only two options. One, he's psychic- but it's very unlikely. Two, Manny told him. Only problem with that theory is, Manny wouldn't just TELL some teenager about me. It would be pointless. The psychic thing sounds more likely than that.

Suddenly, I saw a Yeti appear below the tree I was laying in. Phil? "Come on!" he seemed to motion, ushering me into and alleyway. I nodded and levitated down, running behind him. He threw a globe and we jumped into the Vortex, reaching the North Pole. Ending up in the sleigh dock, he ran off, leaving me to find North. Finally reaching him, standing by the globe, I see his face is grim. "Jack, glad you could make it." I looked around, noticing the presence of the rest of the Guardians. Bunnymund off to the left, whispering seriously to Sandy, who's responding in odd pictures so it's hard to know what he's saying. Bunnymund nods along, understanding every picture. Tooth off to the right, Baby Tooth on her shoulder as the fairies are nowhere in sight.

The Guardians. The Protectors of Childhood, standing around a small circle in the floor. Wonder, Hope, Dreams, Fun, Memories. The things we swore to protect. The people we are. We all stand in a circle around the piece of flooring. I look around and notice an absence of elves, yetis, and all the other creatures usually bustling about. They were temporarily sent away, but why? I am about to ask that, and why we are here, but I realize why we're waiting. We're standing around the same circle that crowned me a Guardian. And, apparently, a new one is coming.

Suddenly, a beam of moonlight fills the room and a silhouette appears in a translucent blue. A boy with fitted pants, a long sleeved shirt, and flames, that go in all directions, instead of hair. The face is familiar, so I stare at it. Before long, I know who it is. "Jamie..." The freckles, the eyes, the mouth, everything about him is like Jamie. So it has to be, but that means... "He's dead?" I say quietly, trying not to cry. I had seen him a few hours ago, he couldn't be dead!

Sandy touched my shoulder, "Maybe he isn't dead.", his pictures told me. "Not yet, anyway." Bunnymund said under his breath, and for once, I did what I always wanted to do. I punched him in the face. "Shut up you fucking kangaroo! How DARE you talk about him like that!" I just kept punching and by the time Sandy restrained me, Bunny's blood dripped from my fists. "Fuck this. Fuck it all." I whispered, taking a large gust of wind to fly me to Jamie.

By the time I get there, it's late afternoon. A day after I left. I go up to Jamie's room and he's lounging casually on his bed, reading a book. I busted through the open window and tackled him in a hug, "I thought you were dead..." I feel him wrap his arms back around me. "Well, I'm not." He was alive. He was safe. "Would you mind laying low a few days?" He nodded, not asking about my request, thankfully.

"Jack?" he asked, hugging me close. "Mhm?" "Could you get off me please?" I did, scooting back from him a bit. His cheeks were pink, mine would have been too if not for the whole "body as cold as ice" situation. "Jamie... The reason why I'm asking this of you is because-" I'm about to finish when his sister barges in with a large grin on her face, shutting the door. "Jack?! Is that you?!" I nod and she pounces me, hugging me tightly. I hug her back. It's like having my little sister back.

She sits in my lap as the three of us talk casually, and I try to push what Manny revealed in the back of my mind. Maybe it was someone else. The more I thought about the figure, the less it looked like Jamie. Maybe it was self-delusion,thinking that it WAS him- but either way, I'm not going to let Sophie be alone, like my sister was.

* * *

**_Author's Note:  
_**

**_Yay for quick updates!_**

**_Don't get used to it. _**

**_I'm procrastinating so yeah._**

**_Anyway! R & R!_**


	5. Unabriged Truths

**A.N.  
**

**My God, guys.**  
**I am so sorry.**  
**I have mid-terms and all this other crap and I thought I updated already.**  
**This chap has been done for a week now.**  
**Sorry!**  
**I'll try and update again around X-mas.**

**_Hope you like this chapter!_**  
**Love you all, Eli**

* * *

I woke up the next day, laying on the roof. I had to keep an eye on Jamie. I peek in his window and see a note:  
_Went with Sophie to the grocery._  
_I'll be back soon,_  
_Jamie_.

I smile at his sloppy handwriting, tucking the note in my pocket. I called upon the wind to float me above the city. When I look around I see two cars rammed into each other, one of them catches on fire, blowing them both up. I float down quickly, looking inside to see who is inside. Maybe able to help them. Seeing one of the cars is empty, I float down, peering inside the window of the other car.

I see two bodies, boiling under the heat. Their skin burning away like paper, revealing pink flesh. I frown, one of them was a child. I touch the window, a strange ring appearing around my hand. This wasn't normal. I looked through the ring and saw a tattoo. Jamie's tattoo.

I fell onto the ground, weeping loudly into the ground. My Jamie. He's gone. I yell, cry, scream into the pavement. No one will hear me. No one will see me. Only Jamie and his baby sister, both dead. If only I'd known. I could have saved them.

I pound my fists against the pavement, crying my heart out. I missed Jamie much more than I ever thought I would. My heart aches and I feel like I'm about to puke. I feel my stomach churn and I stand shakily, walking towards the other side of the street, my back to the car. No longer able to handle the loss.

Every step feels as if the world tilting. I step too hard in some places, tripping myself. Usually being so agile, the feeling of falling is strange. Painful. I pick myself up off the ground and hobble to the other side of the road, sitting on an empty bench. I watch the cops arrive, the fire trucks, the EMS. They all find the bodies and hang their heads. They're too late.

They cover them with white sheets and load them onto separate ambulances, driving away slowly. The siren echos in my ears as all the vehicles drive away, no one has come to observe the accident, not one person. No one except me. I watch as the fires slowly burn out, the firemen watching as it burned- doing nothing. They soon leave when the flames are about only a foot high.

Stepping out of the flames I see a figure with hair blowing wildly in the wind. Then I realize there is no wind, I didn't summon any. Then as they walk closer I start to recognize them faintly. Short flames for hair, flying backwards wildly. A black long-sleeves shirt, fitted against their skin. Black jeans that hug his legs with black ankle boots. A black, sleeveless hoodie over the shirt. Then I realize. The new guardian. "Are you the new guardian?" I ask softly as they stop in front of me. They nod and I see something familiar in their strange, amber eyes. Flecks of fun and hope.

"Jamie?" They smile, nodding, "I was, Jack. But now I am Jamison Cupid." I hug him close, "Idiot, I thought you were dead." I say between deep breaths. "You're forgetting something." I hear a small voice say behind him, I look and there's a shorter girl with black feathers, reaching down her back, for hair. A black, flowing dress made of lace with underlayers of dark grey satin with black flats. "Sophie." I murmur, and she smiles, "Eris Dela-Sophia." I smile. "So, guardian of love and guardian of strife?"

Sophie smiles, "Mine is complicated, huh, Jack? I'm the guardian of the hard times you go through as a child. Because they build character and make you stronger." I nod, smiling. I'm so happy they're alright. "Time to go see North." I say calmly. They nod, and I realize why Jamie and Sophie knew what was going on. It was like before I was reborn as Jack Frost. I knew everything but didn't understand what it all meant. We all do now.

I float in the air, my wind holding me up. Soon, Jamie flicks his palms down and he propels up like a rocket, or Iron Man- Hey, I noticed it from someone's window a few months ago, and large black wings grow from Sophie's back, as she flies up to us. Soon we all fly to North's. When I arrive, they are more than a little confused. Who can blame them, though? When we fly in, I'm holding hands with Jamie on one side and Sophie on the other.

"You have some explaining to do, Jack." he says solemnly. "Assemble the guardians first." I respond. He nods, going off to send Yetis to retrieve them. I look over at the two siblings and they look neither nervous or excited. This worries me. Had the transition affected them? Had it made them different than before?  
I cringed at the thought. There's no way. I looked at Jamie from the corner of my eye and he gave me a sincere smile, touching my arm. I smile back weakly and he pushes himself onto his tiptoes, his hands stabling himself on my right shoulder, as he whispers in my ear. "Jack, you know this means we'll be friends forever, right?" And I smile, taking one of his hands in mine. He warms my hand and I, no doubt, chill his.

We're opposites, and yet I cannot stay away. By the way he looks at me when he thinks I'm not looking, I think he feels the same. When all the guardians gather, they stare at Jamie and Sophie in awe. Two guardians created at once. The concept was surreal to them. But, to me, I'd already started getting used to it.

I told them the story of how they appeared, they told the story of their death. It was a calm conversation but it was the pensive silence that followed that made it unbearable. Finally, Tooth spoke up. "Guardians of love and strife. This is the first time having a guardian that is related to another as well as the first time one of the two is a guardian of a negative/positive protection." Sophie nods but says, "What about Pitch? He is an essential part of childhood, fear gives you courage in times of crisis. Pitch should be one of us too." No one speaks. We're all too awestruck for words. Why? Because she's right.


	6. Pitch's Entry: First Part

**_A.N. Fair warning guys, this one is a two-part chapter! _**

**_For the pure reason I had to leave a cliffhanger xD _**

**_I know, you guys hate me, but I still love you all~!_**

**_the part written like this is REALLY IMPORTANT so let it sink in!  
_**

**_Between the (*) signifies a 666 wordcount O.o_**

* * *

(*)"I'll tell him myself if you all agree to it." Sophie murmurs. I nod, "It's true. I vote yes." Jamie nodded with me. "Me too." Tooth smiles, looking nervously for the others' approvals. Sandy voted yes. Bunnymund frowned, "Soph has a point." North was silent, then smiled a bit. "It'd be good for him, and us. No more fighting."

I smiled at Sophie, "It's settled, go tell him." She nodded, throwing her arms from her sides, her wings opening and carrying her away. From this point, I don't know what happened. So, I'll just let her tell this part of the story.

_**XxXx**_

**_Eris(Sophie)'s POV_**

I was flying over the mountains of China, headed for where my instinct told me Pitch was. **_Oh, right, I should explain this: I am not seen, along with Pitch and Jack; The others i.e. my brother, North, Tooth, Bunnymund, and Sandy can be seen (more often than not only children can, though). Hope that filled in some blanks._**

As I got closer and closer, I had a feeling he knew something was coming. Didn't know what, or in this case who, was headed his way. I heard a loud tolling of a clock tower, as I approached, I recognized it immediately (though I'd never seen it myself); Big Ben. I land onto the sidewalk and keep my wings unfurled, it's not like anyone can see me. Despite the fact I am unseen, I hide my wings anyway. There's a possibility that Pitch would try to harm me if he knew who I was before I could explain. It could get ugly.

Walking around, I notice the dark aura omitting from the dark, damp streets of old London. As I walk, the stone makes thunking noises as heeled shoes walk along the cobblestone paths. I remember reading about women who died on this roads, the Ripper victims, and shudder, making my voice squeak. "Pitch." I whisper, "Pitch Black." No response, only the silence of night. I look around and I'm alone in an alleyway, a dead-ended one, at that.

I feel a bit of fear boiling in my gut, "Nightmare? Bogeyman? Fear?" Whispering his many names, I wish that he would appear soon. I know he's around. I feel it. "Oh, my dear child, what are you doing? Calling upon Fear?" He thinks I can't see him. He thinks I'm human, the fool.

I pretend as if I can't hear him. "Oh, why, you're engulfed in fear... How pleasant." I turn to him and look him in the eyes, "Can you... see me?" He looked shocked, almost angry. "Yes, Pitch, I can." His eyes narrow, "Why?" I smile a bit, "All in good time, now, we need to talk. Know any place we could do that? Talk?" His eyes seem to wander as he looks at me with mild curiosity, it seems no one has wanted to 'just talk' with him before.

"Yes, I know a place. Follow me, my dear." his voice is suave but also manages to sound menacing if perceived that way. To me, he just sounds a bit- I don't know- hurt. He leads me to a small clearing in a park and we sit on a climbing dome made of metal. "So, tell me, who are you?"

"I am Eris Dela-Sophia, formerly Sophie Bennett, and I am like you." I look up at him as he towers beside me, even hunched forward as he sits. "Like me?" he asks, looking at the lamplight across the road. "Yes, like you, I was chosen by the Man in the Moon." he looks at me incredulously. "Then you're a guardian?" he asks, to which I nod. "Then why are you talking to me? I'm the enemy of the Guardians."

I shake my head, "No, you misunderstand. I am the new messenger, a Hermes of sorts, to tell you the message relayed from the Council of Guardians." His expression goes sour as he looks at me, "Is that a threat?" I shake my head, "Quite the opposite, actually, I am here to invite you to join us."_(*)_


	7. Pitch's Entry: Final Part

**In the last chapter:**

_"I am Eris Dela-Sophia, formerly Sophie Bennett, and I am like you." I look up at him as he towers beside me, even hunched forward as he sits. "Like me?" he asks, looking at the lamplight across the road. "Yes, like you, I was chosen by the Man in the Moon." he looks at me incredulously. "Then you're a guardian?" he asks, to which I nod. "Then why are you talking to me? I'm the enemy of the Guardians."_

_I shake my head, "No, you misunderstand. I am the messenger, a Hermes of sorts, to tell you the decision; relayed from the Council of Guardians." His expression goes sour as he looks at me, "Is that a threat?" I shake my head, "Quite the opposite, actually, I am here to invite you to join us."_

* * *

He leaned backwards, putting his back against the dome as he looked at the sky. He looked as if he'd lost his breath. "Why?" was all he could ask. "You are just as much a Guardian as the rest of us. You were chosen, just like the rest of us, what makes you so different?" I knew I could hit a nerve there, exposing it a little so he would be more open to speaking to me. At least, that's what I've learned to do if I wanted someone to listen to me. To make them vulnerable in their own mind makes them prone to listening to everything except their own thoughts.**  
**

"Pitch... you never asked what kind of Guardian I am." I say slowly, imploringly. Something is telling me that he's afraid to know. He remains silent. "Do you know who Eris is?" He nods, "She is you." I feel a little irritated, thinking he's being sarcastic, until I realize he's serious. "Yes. I am Eris, but do you know my Guardianship?" He rolls his eyes, "Obviously not, considering you're telling me." I facepalm, "Thank you, Sire Sarcasm, that will be all."

He smiles a little, an amused grin at my irritation. "Like you, I am a double-edged Guardian." He furrows his eyebrows, "A what?" I sigh, I didn't know I'd have to explain this much in detail. "We seem negative on the outside but are actually positive if you dig deep enough." He laughs, "Darkness? How is** that** a good thing? Fear? I mean, really, Eris!" I halt him with a slap across the cheek.

"Will you just **_shut up_** and let me **speak**, you **cretin**!" His smile fades and he purses his lips, listening. "**THANK YOU!** **Now**, you are the Guardian of Fear; yes, that seems negative but it isn't. Fear is something that gives you courage. Courage to face what lies within and beyond childhood. Making you a Guardian of two things Fear and Courage."

I take a deep breath. "As for myself, I am the Guardian of Misfortune and Hard Times." He frowns, interrupting me. "You're more hated than I am." I smile weakly, I haven't been on the job yet but I feel the hatred sent my way. "It's all part of the job description, unfortunately." He looks at me once again, "Continue." I nod, trying to remember where I was. "Misfortune makes you proud of what you have. Makes you prepared for the future. Makes you stronger in mind and spirit."

He smiles a genuine smile, one that makes me smile in return. It's contagious when he smiles that way. He flashes tiny flashes of white resembling baby teeth and I almost giggle, I was given adult teeth when I changed. "So, ready to go?" I ask. He looks reluctant so I add, "All of the Guardians, including me, voted for you to be on the Council." he loosens up a bit and nods. "Want to travel separately?" he asks, and I want to kick myself for not borrowing one of North's globes. But, then again, look where I ended up last time. I open my wings. "Can't hold you up, at least, I don't think I can." He laughs, clutching at his stomach.

Why is he so laid-back around me, I guess I'll never know. I guess it's because I talk to him as an equal, not a hero to a villain. "I can carry you, if that's alright." he mentions and I feel confused at this. "How?" He smiles proudly, "I travel by shadow, much faster than wings, if I do say so myself." I stand in silence watching him, "I trust you. Take us to North's." He nods, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me up to rest in front of him. "Manhandling is weird, dude. Off." I say and he laughs again. "You'll get used to it."

Traveling by shadow was hella cool. No joke. You feel like you're being pulled in many directions yet stuck; like the insides of everything is being slowly peeled away from your body. One of Jamie's friend also described the feeling as a 'high'; he'd smoked weed once and described it to me when my brother had left the room. If this was a high, I was on cloud nine and I was never coming down. At least, I hoped not.


	8. New Beginnings (END)

Once reaching North's, he lowered me down into the center of the circle. The older guardians of the group visibly stiffened and Pitch tightened his grip on me protectively. "It's alright, they just aren't used to this yet, I'm right here." I whispered, and he lowered me onto the ground, leaving his hand on my shoulder protectively. "Would you get off Soph?" Bunnymund says curtly. "Daddy Bunny, hush the fudge up. He can do what he wants, it wouldn't be so bad if you guys would stop glaring at him like he's an enemy. He's our ally, you all agreed to it. So suck it up, will you?" I said with a roll of my eyes, earning smirks from Jack and my brother while everyone else harbors embarrassed or nervous smiles. I remove Pitch's hand from my shoulder and moved it so I held it in secret, behind my back. He smiled a bit, she could tell he was happy that no one noticed the change and the glaring eventually stopped.

"So, Soph, what do ya plan on doing? I mean you two are the only ones that are predominantly negative. At least Jamison's is dominantly positive.." I frowned, glaring at Bunny. "Oh, alright, Soph. I'll shut up." I smiled triumphantly, "Thank you. Now, let's resume to our normal lives. We all have holidays and somesuch to attend to, let's hop to it, hm?" I looked at Bunny from the corner of my eye as he disappeared through a rabbit hole. North starts rushing around, preparing for Christmas while Jack and my brother will be working together for Valentine's day. I look up at Pitch, "Want to go somewhere?" He nods, "Sure, why not?"

Once we leave, he and I talk about our lives before we died and we just, you know, talked. On a deep level. I've never opened up so much to anyone before and I could tell it was the same for him. "Hey, Pitch?" "Yeah, Eris?" "Is there any way immortals, say, two guardians, that can fall in love and go into wedlock of some kind?" He ponders the question then smiles a bit and I'm reminded of my brother and his crush. "Why, yes, I believe so." I smile, "That's good." "Eris?" "Yeah, Pitch?" "If I said I wanted you to remain by my side forever, how would you perceive that?" "Well, in most cases it's a love confession." I laugh, his grey cheeks tinged pink, "Oh." "But, hey, I wouldn't mind." I smile, looking over at him with a smile. He smiles back, holding my hand as we watch the sun fall behind the horizon.

* * *

_**Jack's POV**_

I notice the two talking to each other when he wraps his arms around her waist and transports out by shadow. I look over at Jamie as he practices his fire-blasts, which, believe it or not are "Cupid's Arrows." What the fire does is become a tiny, flickering flame in his hand and he flicks his wrist, causing it to form an angular heart which burrows into the heart of the target. Then, the flame either tufts out or flares on depending on how much the person is really in love. If they are, then the fire ignites and they become magnetized to the inner flame inside them that attracts them to their soul mate. It's a romantic thought, isn't it?

Once he learns to control it, I decide we take it for a test drive. "It can't hurt to experiment" we agreed, heading into farmland of Japan. Once we get there, I point to a young boy working in the ricefields and Jamie flicks the fire with precision, the flame going straight to his heart. The boy twitches, standing up straight as he blinks profusely. "Yuki!" he yells over to a girl on her bike, pedaling by. She stops, smiling and approaching the boy. Jack can tell they are good friends. The boy says something and he kisses the girl on her cheek and the girl smiles, kissing him on the lips. I stare at the fire flickering in Jamie's eyes.

"She's been in love with him for a while now and she was waiting for him to make the first move. He wanted to make the first move but was too scared." Jack smiled, "What a happy thought. You know Jamie, I wonder if I still have a soulmate out there. I mean, I'm dead, though- so I can't right." Jamie furrowed his eyebrows, "I can try to see, if you don't mind." I pull my hoodie off, letting my chest be exposed so Jamie can search my heart. He closes his eyes, placing a hand over my heart and I feel as if it melts a little. Then, I suddenly remember Jamie's tattoo. A heart of ice melting under fire. The fire of Love. The fire of Cupid. I place my hand over Jamie's. "Nothing." he whispered. "I got something." I smiled. "Really?" he asked, "Who?" "You."

The realization of my words seem to sink in when his face pales. "That tattoo of yours, Jamie, it was a sign. We just didn't know it yet." I smile and he seems to look for lies in my gaze. "So, you're saying you like me?" "No, Jamie, I'm saying I'm in love with you." He smiles a bit, just as embarrassed as I am, "Yeah, I'm in love with you too, Jack." "So it's safe to say it's mutual?" He laughs, holding my hand in his. "Yeah, I think so." We stand still, watching the sun set behind the horizon with our fingers intertwined. I never remember feeling this much relief with anyone before, it's such a wondrous feeling, to be loved.

* * *

**_A.N._**

**_So, yeah, guys. I think I'm done. I may do oneshots but I think this story is over._**

**_Thanks for the love, everyone!_**

**_~Elijah X. Blackwood_**


End file.
